Embodiments of the present disclosure include an image sensor device and methods of forming the same. An embodiment is an image sensor device including a first plurality of pickup regions in a photosensor array area of a substrate, each of first plurality of pickup regions having a first width and a first length, a second plurality of pickup regions in a periphery area of the substrate, the periphery area along at least one side of the photosensor array area, each of second plurality of pickup regions having a second width and a second length.
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7. A structure comprising:
a first plurality of doped pickup regions in a photosensor array area of a top surface of a substrate, the substrate comprising a semiconductor material, each of the first plurality doped pickup regions having a different material composition than the substrate surrounding the corresponding doped pickup region, each of the first plurality of doped pickup regions comprising an n-type or a p-type dopant, each of the first plurality of doped pickup regions being separated from a nearest adjacent doped pickup region of the first plurality of doped pickup regions by a first spacing, wherein each of the doped pickup regions in the first plurality of doped pickup regions have a first width and a first length; and
a second plurality of doped pickup regions in a periphery area of the top surface of the substrate, the periphery area extending along at least two sides of the photosensor array area, the periphery area of the substrate extending from an outer edge of the photosensor array area to an outermost edge of the substrate, each of the second plurality of doped pickup regions having a different material composition than the substrate surrounding the corresponding doped pickup region, each of the second plurality of doped pickup regions comprising an n-type or a p-type dopant, each of the second plurality of doped pickup regions being separated from a nearest adjacent doped pickup region of the second plurality of doped pickup regions by a second spacing, the second spacing being smaller than the first spacing, wherein each of the doped pickup regions in the second plurality of doped pickup regions have a second width and a second length, wherein each of the first width, the second width, the first length, and the second length are from about 0.1 μm to about 0.5 μm, and wherein each of the doped pickup regions in the first plurality of doped pickup regions and each of doped pickup regions in the second plurality of doped pickup regions comprise phosphorus, arsenic, boron, indium, gallium, or a combination thereof.
1. A device comprising:
an array of doped pickup regions in a photosensor array area of a top surface of a substrate, the substrate comprising silicon, each of the doped pickup regions of the array of doped pickup regions being separated from a nearest adjacent doped pickup region of the array of doped pickup regions by a first spacing, each of the doped pickup regions of the array of doped pickup regions having a different material composition than the substrate surrounding the corresponding doped pickup region, wherein each of the doped pickup regions of the array of doped pickup regions have a first width and a first length; and
a plurality of doped pickup regions in a periphery area of the top surface of the substrate, the periphery area extending along at least two sides of the photosensor array area, the periphery area of the substrate extending from an outer edge of the photosensor array area to an outermost edge of the substrate, each of the doped pickup regions of the plurality of doped pickup regions being separated from a nearest adjacent doped pickup region of the plurality of doped pickup regions by a second spacing, the second spacing being smaller than the first spacing, each of the doped pickup regions of the plurality of doped pickup regions having a different material composition than the substrate surrounding the corresponding doped pickup region, wherein each of the doped pickup regions in the array of doped pickup regions and each of the doped pickup regions in the plurality of doped pickup regions are substantially circular in a plane parallel to a top surface of the substrate, wherein each of the doped pickup regions in the plurality of doped pickup regions have a second width and a second length, wherein each of the first width, the second width, the first length, and the second length are from about 0.1 μm to about 0.5 μm, and wherein each of the doped pickup regions of the array of doped pickup regions and each of the doped pickup regions in the plurality of doped pickup regions comprise phosphorus, arsenic, boron, indium, gallium, or a combination thereof.
16. An image sensor structure comprising:
a first plurality of doped pickup regions in a photo sensor array area of a substrate, the substrate comprising silicon, the first plurality of doped pickup regions being in a top surface of the substrate, each of the first plurality of doped pickup regions being a body contact of a corresponding photosensor in the photosensor array area, and each of the first plurality of doped pickup regions being separated from a nearest adjacent doped pickup region of the first plurality of doped pickup regions by a first spacing, wherein each of the doped pickup regions in the first plurality of doped pickup regions in the photosensor array area has a corresponding photodiode; and
a second plurality of doped pickup regions in a periphery area of the substrate, the periphery area along at least two sides of the photosensor array area, the periphery area of the substrate extending from an outer edge of the photosensor array area to an outermost edge of the substrate, the second plurality of doped pickup regions being in the top surface of the substrate, each of the second plurality of doped pickup regions being separated from a nearest adjacent doped pickup region of the second plurality of doped pickup regions by a second spacing, the second spacing being smaller than the first spacing, wherein the periphery area does not include any photosensor devices, wherein each of the first plurality of doped pickup regions and each of second plurality of doped pickup regions comprise phosphorus, arsenic, boron, indium, gallium, or a combination thereof, and wherein each of the first plurality of doped pickup regions and each of second plurality of doped pickup regions are substantially circular in a plane parallel to a top surface of the substrate;
wherein each of the doped pickup regions in the first plurality of doped pickup regions in the photosensor array area have a first width and a first length, wherein each of the doped pickup regions in the second plurality of doped pickup regions have a second width and a second length, wherein each of the first width, the second width, the first length, and the second length are from about 0.1 μm to about 0.5 μm.
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9. The structure of
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17. The image sensor structure of
18. The image sensor structure of
19. The image sensor structure of
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This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 15/206,061, filed Jul. 8, 2016, entitled, “Image Sensor Pickup Region Layout,” which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/157,063, filed Jan. 16, 2014, (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,391,101, issued Jul. 12, 2016) entitled “Image Sensor Pickup Region Layout,” which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/900,265, filed on Nov. 5, 2013, entitled “Image Sensor Pickup Region Layout,” which patent applications are incorporated herein by reference.
A Metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) image sensor typically comprises an array of picture elements (pixels), which utilizes light-sensitive MOS circuitry to convert photons into electrons. The light-sensitive MOS circuitry typically comprises a photodiode formed in a silicon substrate. As the photodiode is exposed to light, an electrical charge is induced in the photodiode. Each sensor, or pixel, may generate electrons proportional to the amount of light that falls on the pixel when light is incident on the pixel from a subject scene. The electrons are converted into a voltage signal in the pixel and further transformed into a digital signal which will be processed by an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or other circuitry.
A MOS image sensor, or simply a MOS sensor, may have a front side where a plurality of dielectric layers and interconnect layers are located connecting the photodiode in the substrate to peripheral circuitry, and a backside having the substrate. A MOS sensor is a front-side illuminated (FSI) image sensor if the light is from the front side of the sensor; otherwise, it is a back-side illuminated (BSI) sensor with light incident on the backside. For a BSI sensor, light can hit the photodiode through a direct path without the obstructions from the dielectric layers and interconnects located at the front side, which helps to increase the number of photons converted into electrons, and makes the MOS sensor more sensitive to the light source.
Three-dimensional (3D) integrated circuits (ICs) may be used to achieve a high density required for current applications, such as image sensor applications. When a MOS sensor is packaged in a 3D IC, a MOS sensor and its related application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) may be bonded to a carrier wafer in parallel, which may take a larger area for the carrier wafer. Therefore, there is a need for methods and systems to reduce the package area for MOS sensors related ASICs.
For a more complete understanding of the present embodiments, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. In the drawings, the shape and thickness may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience. This description will be directed in particular to elements forming part of, or cooperating more directly with, methods and apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure. It is to be understood that elements not specifically shown or described may take various forms well known to those skilled in the art. Many alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art, once informed by the present disclosure.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. It should be appreciated that the following figures are not drawn to scale; rather, these figures are merely intended for illustration.
Embodiments will be described with respect to a specific context, namely an image sensor semiconductor device. The embodiments of the disclosure may also be applied, however, to a variety of semiconductor devices.
While the sensors forming the pixel array may be described as being complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) elements, the pixel array may be comprised of charge coupled devices (CCDs) or any other photosensitive element.
The substrate 102 may be a silicon substrate in some embodiments. In alternative embodiments, substrate 102 is formed of other semiconductor materials such as silicon germanium, silicon carbon, III-V compound semiconductors, or the like. In an embodiment, the substrate 102 is a bulk substrate that is formed of a homogeneous material, which means that the entire substrate 102 is formed of a same semiconductor material such as silicon, silicon germanium, silicon carbon, III-V compound semiconductors, or the like.
The pickups 112 and 122 are formed in the substrate 102. The pickups 112 and 122 may be formed in well regions (not shown). For example, p-type pickups may be formed in p-type wells and n-type pickups may be formed in n-type wells. The pickups 112 and 122 may be implanted with p-type and/or n-type and may be referred to as P+ and/or N+ pickups and may have the respective p-type and/or n-type impurity concentrations in the range from about 1E14/cm3 and 1E15/cm3, although higher or lower impurity concentrations may also be used. The n-type impurities may be phosphorus, arsenic, the like, or a combination thereof. The p-type impurities may be boron, gallium, indium, the like, or a combination thereof. As another example, the pickups 112 and 122 may be doped with the respective p-type and n-type impurity concentrations higher than about 1E19/cm3. It is appreciated, however, that the values recited throughout the description are merely examples, and may be changed to different values.
In an embodiment, the array area no is a pixel array no. The pixel array no may include a plurality of pixels (not shown) that may be arranged in rows and columns. Each of the pixels may include a photosensor and a pixel control circuit. In an embodiment, the photosensor includes a photodiode and a transfer transistor connected in series. In particular, the photodiode may act as a source for the transfer transistor, with the gate of the transfer transistor permitting electrons from the photodiode to flow through the transfer transistor when activated.
In an embodiment, the pixel control circuit includes a reset transistor, a source follower, and a select transistor. The reset transistor may be used to preset the voltage at the gate of the source follower. The source follower may provide a high impedance output for the pixel. The select transistor may be coupled to an output line to allow the data from the pixel to be processed by processing circuits.
In operation, light strikes the photosensitive region of the photodiode. In response, the photodiode generates an electrical charge proportional to the intensity or brightness of light. The electrical charge comprises free carriers transferred out of the photodiode by enabling the transfer transistor through a transfer signal applied to the gate of the transfer transistor. The electrical charge transferred from the photodiode by the transfer transistor enables the source follower transistor, thereby allowing an electrical charge proportional to the charge generated by the photodiode to pass from a voltage source through the source follower to the select transistor. When sampling is desired, a row select line is enabled, allowing the electrical charge to flow through the select transistor to the data process circuits coupled to the output of the select transistor.
An embodiment of an image sensor device 100 may comprise a plurality of pixels and pickups 112. In an embodiment, the pixels and pickups 112 may be arranged to form a two dimensional pixel array. The illustrated image sensor device 100 depicts a pixel array of size 4*4 by way of simplified example. The individual pixels may be read in multiplexed fashion, with a circuit controlling which row of a pixel array is addressed and separate circuitry controlling which column of a pixel array is addressed. Thus, a single pixel at an activated row and column may be read. Skilled practitioners will readily recognize that the presented embodiments may be applied to any size of pixel array without deviating from the embodied principles.
It should further be noted while the discussion above is a pixel in a four-transistor structure; a person skilled in art will recognize that the four-transistor structure is merely an example, which should not limit the scope of the present disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize many variations, alternatives, and modifications. For example, various embodiments may include but not limited to three-transistor pixel, five-transistor pixel, a charge couple device (CCD) sensor, and the like.
In an embodiment, each of the pickups 112 has a corresponding pixel (not shown). In another embodiment, each of the pickups 112 may be used as a pickup for more than one pixel. The pickups 112 and 122 may be used to as a contact to the substrate or body of the image sensor device 100. In an embodiment, the pickups 112 are used to apply a voltage, such as a bias voltage to affect the electrical characteristics of the corresponding pixel. For example, the pickups 112 may be used to affect the threshold voltage of one or more of the devices in the corresponding pixels. The pickups 122 in the non-array area 120 may be used to apply a voltage, such as a bias voltage to affect the electrical characteristics of other devices on the image sensor device 100, such as logic circuits and data processing circuits outside of the pixel array area 110.
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, the pickups 112 and 122 are designed to have a rectangular shape when viewed from the top as illustrated in
By having the pickups 112 in the array area no be similarly sized to the pickups 122 in the non-array area 120, the process window for the lithography steps to form the pickups 112 and 122 is increased. For example, if the pickups 122 for the non-array area 120 are large block type pickups and the pickups 112 in the array area are the point type pickups (see
An embodiment is an image sensor device including a first plurality of pickup regions in a photosensor array area of a substrate, each of first plurality of pickup regions having a first width and a first length, a second plurality of pickup regions in a periphery area of the substrate, the periphery area along at least one side of the photosensor array area, each of second plurality of pickup regions having a second width and a second length.
Another embodiment is an image sensor device including an array of pickup regions in a photosensor array area of a substrate, the array of pickup regions being laterally apart from each other by a first spacing, and a plurality of pickup regions in a periphery area of the substrate, the periphery area extending along at least two sides of the photosensor array area, the plurality of pickup regions being spaced apart from each other by a second spacing, the second spacing being smaller than the first spacing.
A further embodiment is a method including forming a first plurality of pickup regions in a photosensor array area of a substrate, each of first plurality of pickup regions having a first width and a first length, and forming a second plurality of pickup regions in a periphery area of the substrate, the periphery area along at least one side of the photosensor array area, each of second plurality of pickup regions having a second width and a second length.
Although the present embodiments and their advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods, and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.
Yaung, Dun-Nian, Lin, Jeng-Shyan, Hung, Feng-Chi, Wang, Ching-Chun, Lu, Yan-Chih
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